Esther Ruehle Dysart, age 93, died Monday, May 30, 2011 in Clayton, New Mexico.

Graveside memorial services will be held 2:00 PM on Friday, June 3, 2011 in the Clayton Memorial Cemetery with Rev. Jay Jones, pastor of the First United Methodist Church in Clayton, New Mexico officiating. Arrangements are by Hass Funeral directors of Clayton.

Esther Ruehle Dysart was born on March 7, 1918, in Monterey Township, Allegan County, Michigan, to George R. Ruehle and Ora Bell (Dendel) Ruehle. She graduated from high school in Hopkins, Michigan, in 1936 and in September 1937 she entered Chicago Evangelistic Institute in Chicago, Illinois. Esther graduated in 1941 and entered nurses training, graduating in October 1945 as a Registered Nurse. From 1946 to 1951 Esther used her talents as a nurse in the mission field with the World Gospel Missions, first in Scezchwan West China then in Chengto West China where she was also involved in language studies, and in India from May 1949 to October 1951. Esther returned to the United States in 1951 to recover from an illness and in 1957 she applied to the Free Will Baptist Mission Board and was commissioned to go to Cuba where she spent 2 years before going to Londrina, Brazil, where she worked at the Londrina Christian Hospital from 1959 to 1961. In the fall of 1961 Esther returned to Michigan and thru a nursing employment service applied for positions with the public health service in Arizona and New Mexico. She was offered a position in both states and accepted the position of Public Health Nurse in Clayton, NM, in March 1961. In July of 1961 at the Cowboy Camp Meeting Charles Arnett introduced her to C.M.B. Dysart and on December 29, 1961, they were married in Tucumcari, NM. Esther took a leave of absence from the Public Health Service in January 1962. From 1967 to 1970 Esther worked at Union County General Hospital and at Coon Memorial Hospital in Dalhart, TX, in addition to teaching 10th Grade at Clayton High School for about 4 months. In 1970 she again became the Public Health Nurse in Clayton and continued in that position until she retired in August 1980. Following her retirement she and C.M.B. enjoyed traveling to China, Bangladesh and India, including destinations where Esther had served as a missionary. Esther was a member of the First United Methodist Church in Clayton. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, C.M.B. Dysart, on March 29, 2002, and by a brother, Martin George Ruehle in 1984.

MEMORIALS: Memorials may be made to the First United Methodist Church, P. O. Drawer M, Clayton, NM 88415.